CH 148

Chapter 148

When Peaceful Times Cease To Exist : The Archfiend Workshop, Part 3 — Murderous Intent

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

But it was, surprisingly, Anomaly who broke the atmosphere. As the head of the workshop, he was aware of what was going on.

「Well, once you’re in here, there’s no way you’re getting out alive. I’m sure the watchman can handle it alone, but just in case, let me intercept them.」

Anomaly makes a finger whistle. Then another Anomaly emerges from the door leading to the next room.

「Did you call me, me?」

「Yes, I called you, me.」

「This is complicated. Which one is the real one?」

Bloody Maria leaked out in dismay. The same individuals were talking to each other—— the same height, voice, thoughts, everything. There was no way to tell them apart, at least it seemed that way to Bloody Maria. But Titania’s impression was different.

「It’s the main body we have been conversing with. Aside from its appearance, it’s not the same in terms of magical power.」

「Eh, really? I don’t know the details!」

「You are too sketchy, Bloody Maria.」

Titania smiles softly, gently, as if she were gazing at her sister. She looks her age on the outside, but in reality, she is not.

「I mean, what’s the use of comparing puddle sizes in front of the ocean?」

「That may be so, but…」

The point is that it is useless to make comparisons with yourself. But Titania thinks she’s not quite wrong.

「But besides that～, my work is more of a wide area destruction type, you know～? It’s easy to say that the country should be flattened, but not to find one person and tell them to kill someone～! It’s so tedious and frustrating, kyah!☆」

「I’m in charge of that kind of work. I’m a one-on-one guy by nature.」

「You say that so often～ Who was the one who cut off 100 Archfiends in the Great War period?」

Bloody Maria looks at Titania and smiles wryly. Titania was taken by surprise for a moment, but then smiled thinly and self-deprecatingly.

「This is… you got one. I didn’t think you knew.」

「Well, some of those demon kings are related to me～ In that respect, like Lifeless and Miliazar, you’ll eventually be dealt with.♪」

「I would not want to do this with you if I could help it, but…」

Titania looks a little sad. Bloody Maria looks at that face curiously.

「Why～?」

「That’s because… with you, I have to go all out to kill them.」

Suddenly, the air in the supposedly windless room trembles. Titania’s long, black hair flutters, and Bloody Maria, who had been stunned, moves away from her with tremendous speed and takes up an alert posture. The two Anomaly, who were discussing something, shrugged their shoulders.

「I have sharpened myself as I was told. Some die unknowingly from the resulting power. I love this world, both human and fiends. I do not want to spread the damage if possible. Do you understand that?」

The voice of a woman called Titania echoes quietly but deeply. There is no magic power around her, but the desks and bottles for experiments are shaking as if a wind is blowing. One after another, they crack, break, and lose their shape, as if even inorganic objects refuse to be near her.

Bloody Maria clucks her tongue as she watches the scene with a sideways glance.

「You’re good, aren’t you? The color of the murderous intent varies from person to person, but I have never seen such a clear and colorless spirit before. Are you really a human being if you can effect an inorganic object only by killing it?」

「I am human, unlike you. Your tone of voice is starting to return to normal, Bloody Maria.」

「You too. You’ve shown your true colors, Titania.」

Titania giggles.

「I don’t like to be called too many names. In my case, I am too famous.」

「That’s good, isn’t it? There is no one alive who knows your true identity, is there?」

「Well, yes. But names are an effective way to use them!」

Titania smiles wryly as she releases her murderous intent. The face of Bloody Maria, who is confronting her, shows no sign of composure. In a small space, the Bloody Maria may not be able to wield her abilities to the fullest.

「Hmm. So, are you doing it?」

「Let’s see…」

「H–H–Hold on! Don’t destroy my workshop!?」

The copy and Anomaly intercede between the two. If the two of them were to go all out in a place like this, Anomaly’s workshop would not be able to hold back. The two were well aware of this, so they were forced to settle the matter with each other.

「I know that～ Anomaly. It’s just a joke!♪」

「I apologize. But when a strong person is next to me, it makes my blood boil.」

「Don’t make me harangue you. You have better things to do than that.」

Anomaly rebukes Titania and Bloody Maria, comparing them.

「Titania will wait until Silence gets back here. Then you have work to do, right? Sorry Bloody Maria, I know you’re tired, but I need you to go back to the Master. I need you to give me instructions on what to do with Lifeless.」

「Eh, what a hassle.」

Bloody Maria grumbles and complains. But Anomaly is not giving an inch.

「No. I won’t give it away this time.」

「Ehh～ If you can buy me a piece of Kukus cake later, sure. Ahh, and of course it has to be『Gretel,』the confectioner in the City of Arts Fundamento!」

「Uhh, how do you know about such an expensive item? Now that I have the money on hand…」

Anomaly checks the contents of his wallet. Unfortunately, it was empty, and when he turned it over, nothing but trash came out. The other Anomaly was the same, of course, and he only shrugged his shoulders.

「Can you wait until after my paycheck?」

「What～ You are totally worthless. Aren’t you like have a budget for manufacturing the Archfiend’s?」

「You want me to spend all the money I have!?」

「You idiot. I said I’m gonna borrow it for a minute.」

「That’s how we all get corrupted. What would you do if you were sold into the slave market of Tarlam to pay your debts?」

「Yes, it looks like there will be a shortage of buyers, but so what?」

Anomaly and Bloody Maria glare at each other, groaning. Titania sighed and pulled out some money from her purse, perhaps dismayed at seeing such a childish and sterile dispute.

「Anomaly, you owe me, okay?」

「Ohh, as expected of Titania. Now we’re talking.」

「This guy, the epitome of being a deadbeat…」

Although the two women are appalled at Anomaly, he’s the one who is using all the money he has to create the Archfiends. He has nothing to blame them for. But while enthusiastic may sound good, Anomaly was also a man with a superlative mind and no concept of life at all. He was so devoted to his research that he once collapsed from starvation.

「But what about Doom, who is knackered, and Dragleo, who is a sleeping bomb?」

Bloody Maria asks, kicking Doom, who is left on the floor, in the leg.

「I would appreciate it if you could take him back if possible. Worst case scenario, we’ll abandon the place.」

「It can’t be helped～ They are such a pain in the ass. See you later, you two.♪ Oh, and the next time you see me, bring a cake exactly like that, Anomaly?」

「Got it.」

「That’s good to hear☆」

After saying all that, Bloody Maria grabs Doom by the leg and drags him out of the room. When she is completely gone, Titania notices that Anomaly looks like he wants to say something.

「What’s wrong, Anomaly?」

「No,『boys』…it smells like old hag.」

「…Tell me that next time.」

Titania looked at Anomaly a little nastily.

「Your mouth is the root of all evil, me.」

「But you thought the same thing, didn’t you, me?」

Anomaly make brownie points with Anomaly.

「But it’s time to get down to serious business. What about the intruder?」

「Don’t worry. This workshop is the same inside my body. There’s no way they can escape.」

「What about my job?」

Titania asks, leaning against the wall.

「In the meantime, there’s not enough to get Titania to come out. In the meantime, I’ll let the higher-ups handle it.」

「I hope so. Just don’t let your guard down.」

Anomaly responds to Titania’s warning with a heckler.

「Well, that’s true. I’ve been working a lot lately. I think it’s good to get away from it all for a little while, don’t you?」

「…I hope that leeway doesn’t backfire.」

Titania sighs, shaking her dark hair. But Anomaly looks as if there is no such thing.

「Maybe that fool Doom would do it, but I don’t make that mistake. I’m a man of work and play, and I’m a man of action. Especially with you here.」

「If you say so, let’s see how you do.」

Having said all that, Titania leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. The Anomalies then looked at each other and left the place with a scheming look on their faces.